Driverless bus project launched

FULLY autonomous driverless buses could be operating on Guernsey's roads in a few years' time, if a project launched by a new locally-based company comes to fruition.

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ShuttleBuzz Ltd wants to set up a 'driverless ride-sharing' service in the island, and is looking for local companies to provide backing for a feasibility study.

The company's Jenny Ozanne said that the idea came about after she and her husband, Andrew Bull, attended a talk by Professor Nick Reed, academy director for the Transport Research Laboratory.

He expressed the view that there would be a market for driverless vehicles in the island and referred to the Gateway Project in the UK – Greenwich Automated Transport Environment – which has been running trials in the London borough to gauge how people react to fully autonomous vehicles.

Ms Ozanne said that it was this talk that inspired her and Mr Bull to set up ShuttleBuzz.

Now the company is hoping to run on-road trials here, given some of the unique aspects to driving in the island such as filters-in-turn and the occasional need to mount the kerb to avoid wide vehicles.